e Christian
Faith_, with admirable acuteness thus addresses the opposers of that
Doctrine, which accounts for the confusion, sin and misery, which we
find in this life: 'It would be severe in GOD, you think, to _degrade_
us to such a sad state as this, for the offence of our first parents:
but you can allow him to _place_ us in it without any inducement. Are
our calamities lessened for not being ascribed to Adam? If your
condition be unhappy, is it not still unhappy, whatever was the
occasion? with the aggravation of this reflection, that if it was as
good as it was at first designed, there seems to be somewhat the less
reason to look for its amendment.' BOSWELL.

[399] 'Which taketh away the sin' &c. St. John, i. 29.

[400] See Boswell's Hebrides, August 22.

[401] This unfortunate person, whose full name was Thomas Fysche Palmer,
afterwards went to Dundee, in Scotland, where he officiated as minister
to a congregation of the sect who called themselves _Unitarians_, from a
notion that they distinctively worship ONE GOD, because they _deny_ the
mysterious doctrine of the TRINITY. They do not advert that the great
body of the Christian Church, in maintaining that mystery, maintain also
the _Unity_ of the GODHEAD; the 'TRINITY in UNITY!--three persons and
ONE GOD.' The Church humbly adores the DIVINITY as exhibited in the holy
Scriptures. The Unitarian sect vainly presumes to comprehend and define
the ALMIGHTY. Mr. Palmer having heated his mind with political
speculations, became so much dissatisfied with our excellent
Constitution, as to compose, publish, and circulate writings, which were
found to be so seditious and dangerous, that upon being found guilty by
a Jury, the Court of Justiciary in Scotland sentenced him to
transportation for fourteen years. A loud clamour against this sentence
was made by some Members of both Houses of Parliament; but both Houses
approved of it by a great majority; and he was conveyed to the
settlement for convicts in New South Wales. BOSWELL. This note first
appears in the third edition. Mr. Palmer was sentenced to seven (not
fourteen) years transportation in Aug. 1793. It was his fellow prisoner,
Mr. Muir, an advocate, who was sentenced to fourteen years. _Ann. Reg._
1793, p. 40. When these sentences were brought before the House of
Commons, Mr. Fox said that it was 'the Lord-Advocate's fervent wish that
his native principles of justice should be introduced into this country;
and that